


Tigers Bite

by AwatereJones



Series: Max [4]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Action, Alt Verse, Drama, F/M, Family, Gen, M/M, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-04 22:45:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16355687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: OK, gonna get down and dirty. Dogs entering the mix and our first glimpse of Idris and the Hoodlum Clan Jack knew nothing about. This one is going to move fast once the starter's pistol fires and is 7 chaps mostly all action. We have to get past this bit so hold on and grit your teeth .. Tiger is going to stop flicking his tail and go feral on somone's arse. luv crumbly cake xxx





	1. Chapter 1

Ianto walked with Max towards the throng of people, they were running late. Something that he despised as much as Max and Jack was still apologising for losing the keys.

"Well, a spare set would be a good idea then" Ianto closed the non-argument with a kiss and then he took off, racing for the children coming towards them in a small wave of excitement.

Followed by dogs.

Lots of dogs.

"Shit" Jack huffed as they all tumbled over the children who tumbled over Ianto, his pristine white shirt now definitely grass stained, mud splattered and the little one with a ice block was probably smearing red food colouring all over it as well. Only the laughter inside the huddle stopped Jack from rescuing him so he walked over to Fred who was watching the show with affection.

"Our new one is the shaggy white thing" Gerry pointed, "Fucking thing eats shoes. Don't know why, loves them."

"Previous owner probably let it have one as a puppy thinking it looked cute dragging it about" Ianto explained as he came over with children still attached on his hips, around his shoulders and one sitting happily on his foot like a little coruscation.

"Can't break it then" he sighed.

"Go to the thrift shop and get some old pairs, put them in a basket. Keep yours up for a while. Soon the smell of them will be his, your will smell of you. He might get the idea but who knows" Ianto shrugged and then let the children down, kissed and crooned, then let them race off, dogs in tow.

"So. How did you get your dog then? Pound?" Fred asked Gerry.

"No. Heard of the problems others were having with that so I went to a breeder. Thought, room of puppies, how can I go wrong" he snorted, "we were so enamoured we didn't notice her leave the room until the yelling started. Found that thing out back on a chain. Clung to it like it was a fucking unicorn."

Ianto smiled softly.

"Was it mistreated?" Fred frowned.

"No, just old. The woman explained it was past breeding and retired. Tied up because it bites visitors but she was having none of it. Those big eyes, wobbly lip and … well. Even the woman was convinced, gave the bloody thing to her before we could even work out she was playing us."

"Mine rang an ad in the paper. Can you imagine? Three. On the phone asking politely for directions for the doggie." Heather laughed, "Mad. Said something about the betterment of the family unit."

"Fuck me!" Stan spluttered, "Family Unit. That's what Barret said, he said 'Tad, you know it's for the betterment of the family unit that we get a fuzz' and I thought it weird."

"So. Do they have cell phones shoved up their butts or something like prison inmates? How the hell are they communicating like that?" Fred demanded and all eyes went to Ianto who shrugged.

"Said it yourself. Used the phone. Max is often on it talking to some sibling or other. Mostly dog talk so I guess they are synchronising their attacks." Ianto said then looked at Jack as they thought the same thing.

Like a unit.

Use the word unit when speaking of themselves. Like a task force or … squad. Ianto looked over the little sea of heads and saw what he had created, what Yvonne had sought and what was now a reality.

An Army.

"Shit" Jack whispered as he saw it too then he started to laugh softly as he ran to catch a little girl who was caught in her skirts and giving them a right telling off as she struggled with her captured foot.

Ella slid her hand into Ianto's as they watched then she leaned in close and his eyes widened, "You're caught!"

She leaned back, "what I was about to whisper. You can … what … smell it?"

"Yeah" his face lit up as he turned to embrace her, delighted that they had managed to create. "well done missus"

"Thank you" she said softly, "I've not told him yet. Tonight. For some reason I … I wanted you to know first. This being yours too. Tonight while the kids are all with you I will tell him."

"Max is so excited for tonight" Ianto changed the subject as Jack started towards hem with Frank "I fear the main room will need a flea bomb once done."

"Nonsense, these kids are all yours so their dogs will be pristine!" Jack scoffed.

"I'm not talking about them!" Ianto said calmly, and then pointed, "I mean the other kid in the group. That bloody cuckoo."

Jack turned to see Owen in the sea of children, pulling at a toy as he argued that the kid was doing it all wrong. Laughter started as they watched the children swarm over the adult, holding him down as he screamed for help.

The little one triumphantly walked away with his toy.

The swarm released their pray.

Not a word had been exchanged throughout the entire thing.

Ianto tried not to think too much about it.

It had been perfectly executed.


	2. Family expansion

They were heading along in the flow of traffic when Jack turned the wheel and Ianto had mere moments to register where they were going before the pulled into the parking lot and Max started a shrill scream of glee. Ianto glared at Jack who pretended not to see as he got out and released the demon spawn, "Come on. Let's see who we have here, shall we?"

Ianto sat cursing silently then exited the SUV to follow them into the pound. The cacophony of sound suddenly stopped as Ianto entered, all dogs turning to stare expectantly through the wire as Ianto stalked along the rows of kennels, eyes watching with a wariness of one who sees a more powerful creature. Max was crouching, a good sign Ianto hoped as he neared the child who had his fingers though the mesh talking quietly to the little dog on the other side.

"He's not much to look at" the woman said with a grimace, "Came to us pretty mauled up. We couldn't save that leg I'm afraid and it's a bit infected. Don't know what it tangled with, the vet thinks maybe wild dogs or something. Joked about the Moor Panther."

Ianto blinked and nodded, Jack rising from where he had been next to Max, "we'll take him."

"Are you sure? He has more medical care needed, expensive…"

Max made a noise of annoyance and Ianto cleared his throat, "please open the cage would you? He would like a cuddle."

She complied and Max carefully lifted the little foxy into his arms, his face one of total adoration as he struggled out into the main walkway, "Come on Dan."

"Dan?" Jack blinked.

"You are Captain Jack, he's Lieutenant Dan" Max rolled his eyes and started walking as he called back "Taddy? Paperwork?"

Jack looked at Ianto.

"Forrest Gump. Lieutenant Dan. No legs?"

Jack blinked and then started to snigger, seeing the child's warped sense of humour. The woman hurried after the child with a leash from the cage, "wait darling, Clip before you go!"

So they were soon travelling once more, a three legged dog calmly sitting with its paw on its new owner's leg as Max gently held it, like little friends on an adventure and Ianto glanced back at the dog, watching it's eyes travel over him as it assessed it's predicament.

Once home Ianto gently took the dog from the back seat and held it, stroking its ears as he looked at the new family member then placed him on his three legs, watching him take off after the child with glee. In those moments the dog had smelt Ianto fully, knew now he was not a threat but something different to be respected and accepted.

Jack came around to watch them go, "He OK?"

"Will be. New house, family and me" Ianto replied, Jack about to remind him he was family as well when he got the comment for it's true worth. Ianto. The enigma. Jack looked at him again.

"You think he tangled with a Hunter?"

"He reacted to me instantly, Max too. Saw max as something to protect, me as something to avoid. He now has a good scent of me, knows I am not what attacked him but there might always be a distance, I am the Alpha. He will respect me. I hope, not fear me." Ianto replied.

'You are sure? A Hunter?" Jack now felt doubly sorry for the little fella and raced after them to pick the dog up and carry him inside like a baby.

"Cooeeee!"

Ianto bit back a sigh and turned to face the woman waiting on the other side of the fence, "Hello Missus Marris."

"Hello Ianto dear, is that a little dog I spied?" she gushed.

"Yes, just came from the pound. Max chose one with three legs. Not sure about it all but it is his dog not mine, who am I to complain" he said as he reached out to touch the cat on the woman's shoulders, the purr like an old motor.

"Well, you and dogs do not always mix dear. My Harold still hides ya know, yuo must give off such an aura." Sh giggled "where as Biggles here loves you."

"Yes, but Biggles is mad, aren't ya meow-meow man." Ianto crooned and the cat chirped happily before wandering along the fence to look at the dog.

"Tell the truth, you like dogs. I see you with those visiting with all those lovely little children, come on." She poked at him and he smiled.

"I do but I was bitten once, makes me shy" Ianto admitted, "Not their fault. Glad he chose a little one, not that Newfoundland the Victersons wound up with. Did you see that drool?"

She laughed as she agreed, knowing Ianto was fully aware that she spend most of her days spying on his little family and their many guests. She had long since worked out some blood connection, what with the children all so familiar to look at and it was nice to see such noise and bluster in the old house that had been silent for so long.

"Oh dear?" she called as he went to walk away. He turned with raised eye brows, "Your house. The lights were flickering earlier, did you get the electrician in?"

"Yes" Ianto lied "The wiring was all checked. Apparently it is the new smart security system. It checks every now and then for fuses and such. A safety feature to ensure a power surge or something does not leave the alarm off."

"Oh! They think of everything these days" she shook her head and he left her to watch over the fence as Max ran past yodelling, the dog surprisingly agile as it panted after him.

Ralf hummed softly in the basement as he accepted a new member to the collective.


	3. and here we go...

Max is visiting his friend after school and Ianto promised to be on time, time an important thing to the little man and he has arrived half an hour before the agreed time. To be sure. He is currently waiting patiently while enjoying the warms of the afternoon sun. The pupper bum is asleep on the back seat. Ianto is actually warming to the dog too.

A busy afternoon, people wandering past and the general bustle of a summer day. It might not rain all week. Ianto is leaning against the Mercedes he chose from the vehicle pool, something quieter than the SUV. Traffic pounding by. The rose from the elderly neighbour is stuck in a button hole of his shirt.

And then suddenly traffic thins out. A Heddlu car cruises by, slowly. Ianto makes eye contact with the two cops up front. Ianto starts across the street toward the apartment building. At the same time as the door bangs open. Max exiting. he spots Ianto, a huge grin on his face.

And a white SUV coming the other way. The Heddlu car reverses back, cutting Ianto off from Max. The cops getting out, big smiles on their faces.

The white SUV Slides to a stop in front of Max, blocking his path to Ianto. And as two men leap out from the back Ianto yells while drawing his 9mm "Run, Max, run!"

But he's rooted with fear.

And the men are almost on him.

Ianto raises the 9mm overhead.

BANG!

And the sound frees him.

Max runs!

Ducking under a flailing arm. Quick and lithe. Trying to reach his Taddy.

The cops drawing Uzi's.

Ianto plants himself, the gun now level.

He fires twice into cop one, dead centre in the chest.

Max runs. The two men follow as the second cop returns fire wildly: the Mercedes hit in a ten bullet line.

Ianto fires two more rounds into the cop who's hit high in the chest and throat. Precise. Ianto pivots, strides calmly forward, firing at the men chasing Max. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A man goes down, hit in the ribs.

A bullet slams Ianto in the back, fired from inside the SUV.

Ianto fires back. BOOM! BOOM!

The man falls dead, hit just below his nose, just above his teeth. The fat driver fires, now, and Ianto is hit in the shoulder.

And Max disappears into the traffic.

Gone.

The man, who has abandoned chasing Max, fires again. Ianto drops the 9mm as he is hit. He falls to his knees. Slack-jawed, Ianto looks about. Sees the fat driver heaving himself out of the SUV while another man scans for Max who's nowhere in sight.

He got away!

Ianto smiles even as he crumples over on his side.

"TADDY!"

And Max is back. Running toward Ianto. he can't leave him like this. He was safe and now he's back.

**NOOO...**

He runs to him, wraps his arms around him. "Taddy?"

The man catches up, tears Max away, starts back for the sedan. Ianto can only blink after them.

"TADDY!"

It's not a cry for help. It's anguish for him.

"Max..." Ianto groans, struggling to try and get back up.

They cram Max in the back seat, follows. The fat driver gets back in behind the wheel. As the door slams shut, wheels spin, grip and the Corolla accelerates away.

Ianto can see Max look back through the rear windshield.

An anguished image before he's pulled back down.

And everything goes very, very…

**BLACK**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Noise.

Bluster.

Owen.

"For fucksake, get back if ya want me to help him!"

"Let him die" Jack's voice is so distant but … there. Not bitter, not nasty, just factual. He's right. A death and a reset means it will be easier to kill everyone. But …. Still ….

"Owen, we don't have time for this. I need answers … need….please…"

Ianto is fading again and confused, why is Owen not letting him die already. He has work to do, Max to find. Why is Jack here, get out there and find his boy get back… so tired.

.

.

.

.

Ianto stirs to find Owen by his bed shushing him quietly as he draws some blood. His bed. In his house. The soft hum of Ralf in his very bones.

"Owen?" Ianto is surprised at how croaky he sounds.

"Hey, how ya feeling?" Owen asks.

"Alive?"

Owen snorts, "Look mate. I know killing you or letting you die would be a lot easier all around but I couldn't. Jack was heading to the Hub with you and I was in the back, scanning you to see if the bullets were still inside you and I found a ….shit. Ianto. He heard it, same time as me and he yanked the steering wheel so hard I thought I was going to fly out the fucking window. He headed for your house, dragged your bleeding body out and ran inside, down into the basement. When he carried you back up you looked a lot better and now you are awake. You have slept for ages and now you are awake."

"Where is he?"

"Tosh got a plate off the CCTV footage, he's gone after them" Owen said as Ianto grunted and opened his eyes to stare at him.

"Owen? What are you talking about? Heard it?"

"Why I couldn't let you die, why Jack took you to that squid thing instead. The heartbeat" Owen said gently as he patted Ianto's hand.

"The foetal heartbeat."


	4. Javic Piotr Thane asks questions without the Jack Harkness disguise

Evan Jamason, the 350 lb. driver who shot Ianto in the shoulder exits whistling to himself, gets behind the wheel of a Fiat 500. Unaware he's being shadowed by a man on a Harley Davidson as he swings around the small child at the crosswalk, the child was holding it's mother's hand but the little eyes were firmly fixed on the man and the tiny head swivelled to watch him pass followed by the thrumming motorbike.

Jack.

As the Fiat comes to a stop. Evan gets out. The Harley Davidson purrs in the background as Evan crosses the street and enters a public building **.** Two children as walking hand in hand home from school, their little backpacks bright in the sunlight as they stop walking to watch him enter, then they look at one another before continuing to walk, a glance back at the motorbike.

Jack watches and waits.

Evan exits the building still trying to get the last button of his Heddlu uniform closed. He's a cop. He struggles to get behind the wheel of the Fiat. The car is tiny.

Someone's getting in on the passenger side.

As Evan starts to protest, Jack rams his Webley into his gut. At the same time, he takes Evan's gun from its holster.

"Drive."

Evan is incredulous "Do you know who I am?"

"You are Evan Jamason" Jack snarls. Jack jams him in the gut again. "Drive."

Evan starts the engine.

He eases out into traffic. They pass motorists with children in their cars, more than one stopping their activities to turn and watch the men pass before resuming and more than one parent pulls over to see if there was something wrong with the sudden change in their child.

Jack directs him to a nearby abandoned quarry. A car graveyard sitting on top of a 300 foot cliff overlooking a manmade lake. Gravel crunches under the Fiat's tires as it drives to the edge of a cliff.

"Stop here. Turn off the ignition." Jack speaks in a monotone. Evan does as he's told. Suddenly the Webley comes down hard. WHACK! As Evan's vision explodes...

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Shit" Ianto sits up and reaches for the drink he can see, Gwen moving to help him reach it.

"There you are Pet" she croons, "Feeling better then?"

"Any news?" Ianto asks with growing awareness.

"He is talking to someone now" Gwen said as she gently pats his arm, motherly and concerned "Any time now love."

Ianto nods and grimaces, sliding back into the pillows as his head throbs. It's like a thousand voices all talking at once in there. Loud and excited, angry and vengeful.

He hopes he takes someone's balls off.

.

.

.

..

Still in the driver's seat, Evan wakes. The first thing he sees is that his hands are taped to the steering wheel with his pudgy white fingers exposed. He is naked.

"Can you hear me?" Jack asks.

Evan nods, the pain in his head blinding.

"I am going to ask questions. If you don't answer, fully and truthfully, you will suffer much more than you have to." Jack warns as he opens Ianto's notebook to a blank page near the end. He clicks open a pen.

Jack presses in the car's cigarette lighter. Then he opens a buck knife. Evan winces at the sound of the blade locking. Jack says conversationally "I'm going to cut your fingers off. One by one. If I have to."

The cigarette lighter pops back out.

"That's to cauterize the stubs." Jack points with the pen and smiles.

Holy sweet Jesus... Sweat drips down Evan's forehead. He tries to master his fear. Swallows dry.

"Do you know who I am?" Evan repeats.

"Who are you?"

"I am a senior Heddlu Officer, I am …" Without warning Jack reaches up with the buck knife, a flash of steel. The big man howls, his left ear suddenly missing, starts an epic struggle, practically breaking the wheel off the steering column. He is like a bucking Rhinoceros.

He howls as Jack sprays his face with pepper spray.

The passenger side door opens and Jack stumbles out.

Some of the pepper spray has gotten in his face as well.

Jack wipes his tearing eyes. And then he turns.

Hefting the knife in his hand, he marches back toward the car.

"No! No!"

And then a terrible SCREAM. BLOOD squirts against the inside of the windshield. The car rocks on its shocks. And then another terrible SCREAM.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"But you need to rest" Gwen argues as Ianto shakily pulls back the covers.

"Jack will be home soon with Max, he will be scared and tired and hungry. I was not there, I … I need to be here now. He needs to come on and see that I am OK. The bad thing that happened did not take me away like last time. He lost his parents, do you not remember that? He's seen his Da die in front of him. I do not want him dreaming of me the way he still dreams of him."

Gwen nodded, understanding as she helped him into his robe, "well … maybe you can settle on the sofa with a rug, yeah?"

.

.

.

.

Evan stares at the stump of his right forefinger, smoke rising up off it. Jack sticks the lighter back in its hole. And Jack looking at him, devoid of emotion.

"Wh- wh- what do you want to know?"

It takes a moment for Jack to come back. He picks up the pen and notebook. "The kidnapping. How did it work? Who authorised it?"

"I don't know. We were just given instructions to take him."

"Ordered by who?"

Evan hesitates. As Jack sets the pen down...

"I don't know."

Jack jerks back Evan's middle finger, raises the knife.

Evan is babbling a mile a minute "I don't know! We work in parts. A voice calls in a kidnapping. We deliver the target to the guardians. We don't even know them. We are just told to take one here and there, hand them over to other guardians. The bosses don't even see the target. They just make the deal! Hand them on to the Pharm"

"Who ordered it?" Jack frowns as he tries to work out where he knows that name from. Pharm?

"The Boss"

"Where do I find him?"

Evan shrugs; terrified "I don't know. No one knows."

A shrill scream, as the knife comes down. Jack tosses the finger out the window, wipes some of Evan's blood off his cheek.

"I don't know, I swear."

After a beat Jack sighs "I believe you."

Jack looks like he'll kill him on the spot. Nuzzles his Webley into the palm of Evan's right hand. "Who's he?"

"I don't know, but I know his face."

Jack cocks the trigger.

"Wait, wait! My phone, a picture. Please!"

Jack considers.


	5. focusing

"Are you OK?" Jack's voice is soft down the phone and Ianto feels himself going mushy as he smiles, then sighs softly. The voices have been silenced with Jack's smooth voice.

"I've had another call from one of the parents. Their little one has become almost hysterical, the third call. Bella, Andrew and now little Sarah are all reacting to something. I think it is like … like a hive thing. Max is in danger and with them all connected now they have spent time together … they sense his fear" Ianto surmises "Cariad …. I feel it too. They have not hurt him but he is scared. I … somewhere bright. I have a headache behind my eyes like I have been staring at monitors too long or something."

"OK love, I am closing in" Jack promises, "It's going to be fine. I have a name. A number Tosh traced back with Franny and Ralf, I will have him soon. You just be still, if you can feel him he might feel you too. Send calm thoughts. Strong thoughts, OK?"

"Good idea" Ianto smiles as he hears the logic to the words, closing his eyes as he whispers affections, then places the phone down.

No fear.

Just revenge.

Ralf hums his agreement

.

.

.

.

.

Three cars are pelting along the highway, weaving in and out of traffic, and then taking an off ramp. They are moving at speed. A black Sedan followed by a Coupe de-Ville . A black SUV follows the two vehicles with an Asian dragon at the wheel. Coming from a side street is the largest black SUV from the Torchwood carpool with the double impact bars, Gwen is moving with determination as she jams her boot to the floor of the foot-well and grits her teeth. A drone is also moving fast, flicking under the lead car unseen but the explosion that lifts the lead car into the air is definitely felt as Owen crows from the SUV following the vehicles with Tosh driving calmly. Gwen's SUV slams into the debris of the lead car and slides sideways against a wall wedging it in.

Real tight.

Jack strides through the smoke and dust. A shotgun at his side and a Molotov cocktail in his left hand. He walks past the SUV and the welsh woman sliding out to unload her gun at the vehicle with open malice.

His gaze is locked in the second car that cannot reverse due to the second SUV parked up its arse. Without missing a stride he unloads both barrels into the driver's window. A scary prospect even though it's bullet-proof. The lit Molotov explodes beneath the car. Silence. Then a dull impact explosion. 30 feet of flames envelope the car. The driver and Boss both prisoners inside their own car.

The driver exits releasing a full clip from his Uzi.

Jack nails him with a single shot to the head.

The Boss exits through the flames hands high in the air.

**.**

**.**

**.**

.

Ianto is fielding call number eight. The latest one more interesting as the first dream has occurred. Somewhere medical, the child talking of needles and the smell of doctors. Whoever has Max, wants blood, something. whatever they think they are looking for … they will get more than they bargained for. Now they are about to be inspected too.

He feels better.

Much better as he slides his feet into shoes.

He will be careful but he will not be weak here. After all …

You should never wake the dragon.

.

.

.

.

Eyes and mouth taped shut, hands and ankles bound by flex-cuffs. Hugo Hartman stands there.

Jack steps up, pulls the tape off Hugo's eyes. He looks about, relatively calm considering.

"You know where you are?"

As Hugo tries to process...

"Under the bridge. Where the deal went down, where you handed him over to the men in the white van. Now why don't you tell me what went down?" Jack tears the tape off his mouth.

"Do you know who my sister was? Who I am?" the man bristles, "I am a member of Her Majesty's Council and …."

Jack pulls the buck knife from his pocket, flips it open. As Hugo reacts, Jack spins him round, slits his clothes up from ankle to neck. The cloth drops away, some hanging at Hugo's wrists. Hugo has a sudden loss of attitude.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Ianto knows where they are, pulling up to step from the Austin Martin. His clothing impeccable as he strides towards those waiting and he comes to a halt as he looks the man up and down who is struggling meekly. "This is him?"

"Yes, the one who handled everything" the black Adonis nods, glancing nervously at the children who are not all playing in the playground of the compound like they usually do but four of them are just … watching them as the other continue to ignore the grups.

"Good" Ianto nods, "Thank you Idris."

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Hugo's hands are cuff flexed and tied to side view mirrors of the Coupe de-Ville. Cut back to see Hugo, naked other than his Calvin Klein skivvies, spread-eagled across the grill of the car, butt forward Jack rips down his Calvins. Hugo winces with either pain or extreme discomfort.

"That's not my dick. That's the barrel of your own gun. Shoved up your own ass." Jack purrs as Hugo reacts... "A sweet .44 Magnum. Now, how's your hearing?"

He can hear the CLICK of the trigger being cocked back.

"Please, don't..."

It's all up to you, buddy. Tell me about you and 'The Professor'."

"I don't know him. I saw the opportunity and got lucky."

"Lucky how?" Jack asks calmly, like two friends talking about a deal.

"That he used policemen. They needed friends like us. They couldn't refuse our involvement."

"And?"

"And I had my men ready." The man sobs, "We stepped in for the shit work, got paid well. Grab a kid here, snatch a kid there. One a month. Was easy money!"

Jack wonders how many children they have taken. How many of Ianto's offspring already gone. Taken quietly without drawing attention with Heddlu like this shit covering their tracks and keeping it all quiet. No wonder they couldn't find some of the families.

Well.

They have his attention now.


	6. moxie

The Pharm.

A welcoming entrance and the reception desk is manned by a woman who doesn't seem to blink as Idris walks towards her, his face serene and devoid of the rage he feels inside.

"Doctor Steele?" he asks and she taps her keypad with a look of disinterest, then nods.

Idris resists the urge to look up at the cameras.

"And you are?" she finally looks up with that same bland stare.

"Jones. Idris Jones, here for the benefactor's meeting?" Idris smiles as she types it into the system and hands over a visitor's badge. "My first time, still unsure if I should commit. Where is the meeting room?"

He wanders off with the little Directional Assistant Device provided.

.

..

.

.

"How ya doing?" Jack asks looking around "Nice place ya got here."

Jack pulls a pen from the stack on the counter, preparing to fill out a visitor form. He notices something in the big convex mirror the woman is staring at.

Something approaching from outside.

"You got to press a panic button or something back there?" Jack asks.

The woman hesitates, letting a few precious seconds pass. Three men enter the foyer. One of them carries a long-barrelled shotgun. Jack looks down at their feet, then to their faces and smiles. Shotgun Punk points the gun at Jack's face. "What are you grinning at fucker"

"We ... ell ... there's only three of you and you only got one shotgun."

The Punks don't know whether to laugh or just shoot him, but it is too late for either option, as Jack suddenly spins between the Punks and behind the gun.

The SHOTGUN GOES OFF and BLOWS away part of the back WALL –plaster flies - Jack locks the Punk's fingers into the gun, rotates the gun as a bar, breaking the Punk's arm.

The others make their move - but now Jack has the shotgun and is using it as a sword or staff. Punk #2 takes a vicious swipe at Jack with his long knife. Jack ducks, goes to his knees, and uses the gun to foot-sweep the Punk. The Punk's legs fly skyward and his head slams against the floor. As soon as he hits, the shotgun is slammed through his teeth.

The last Punk has produced a blade and is staring at his companions in disbelief. He and Jack square off.

"I know what you're thinking. I have this big shotgun and all you have is that little blade. Mine's bigger than yours. It's not fair." Jack sets the gun down. Punk #3 is still frozen. "Still not fair?"

Jack gets down on his knees.

The Punk lungs, thrusting the blade with lightning speed at Jack's face.

Jack makes a slight movement, parries the thrust and slides his body behind the Punk, simultaneously slamming his forearm into the rear knee joint.

The Punk buckles and Jack now has one of his legs in both arms and pins the other leg with his left knee.

We see the leg held in Jack's arms begin to twist ... and with a blood-curdling scream we hear a LOUD SNAP.

SIRENS are heard approaching outside.

Jack turns to the woman who shrugs as she says calmly "If you are here for Doctor Steele then you are in the wrong building. This is the dummy organisation for shit like that, but thanks. You want the Pharm Laboratory downtown."

Jack starts for the door and she calls after him " But it's in lock-down after some sort of attack or something."

Jack turns to look at her, "What?"

"Yeah. Hoodlums. Everywhere" she finally smiles sweetly, "you have a nice day now."

.

.

.

.

.

Ianto has been waiting impatiently in the vehicle, sliding out as he sees Idris striding towards him with a child in his arms. He knows it is not Max and wants to scream with rage but also feels something coming from the little boy he opens his arms to.

Mork is dragging a bloodied man behind him, the once white coat telling Ianto this might be the one who has Max. Yes. Max is running out of the door now, three Hoodlum enforcers following meekly as the boy screams and opens his arms wide to fly to his Taddy. Ianto kneels to accept his child into his arms, still looking at the other child who stands silently watching.

"Max, behind you" Ianto says softly and Max turns to look at the child, sighing as he steps over to take the child in his embrace, two little soldiers that get to come home. They both know others didn't. They will remember what they saw in there.

Ianto rises and shoots his cuffs, "I do not know why, do not want to know specifics. Just that is it over with."

"Don't worry Toto, this place is toast" Idris assures him as he plucks up the spare child, "We roll now, it burns. OK? Is that your man?"

Ianto turns to watch the SUV explode though the front gates and smiles as he shakes his head at the theatrics of it all. Jack racing for them with horror on his face, dragging them into his arms as he clutches for them like air in a vacuum.

They are safe.

Gwen exits the SUV and looks at the black Adonis who has a small child in his arms, walking towards her with a look of determination. "You, missus. Take this one, he is another snatched."

Gwen is suddenly overwhelmed with a small 'Ianto' as she looks back to Owen who is already clambering over seats to open the back door for the child.

Toshiko clicks at her keyboard as she tries to place the child, the system slow as it also gleans everything for the servers below them deep within the base they are currently parked over. Ralf shifts in his warm spot under the boiler as the lights in the house dim.

Now he knows everything.

It will all go sky high.


	7. shuffling

Toshiko sat with the small child, looking at his tiny hands as they swung the rubrics cube about and then placed it down. Owen laughed and picked it up, messing it up again as the child looked around the Hub with interest.

"Come on, foodage" Ianto said as he entered with Max literally attached to his coattails, the child still slightly shocked from everything and unable to release his Taddy just yet. The new child froze and watched Ianto intently.

"Come on then" Ianto said as he settled on the sofa, "Over here."

The child slithered from Tosh's lap and toddled over with arms up, Ianto lifting him into his lap where he snuggled and sucked at his thumb sadly. Everyone moved to watch as Max examined his doppelganger with that intense look of a connoisseur.

"You can live with Uncle Owen and Aunty Tosh" he finally told the child "OK Kenny?"

"Kenny?" Tosh asked.

"Kenneth, but he likes Kenny more. South Park. 'Oh my god they killed Kenny' ya know?" Max said and the small child snorted with mirth at the reference to what must be his favourite show. Tosh resisted the urge to point out that he is way too young to watch that tripe.

"Right then, Kenny. Looks like we need to sort a room for you here tonight since ….ah…. Mama Tosh and I are working tonight, yeah?" Owen said with open discomfort, accepting Max's decision even as Jack looked about for some explanation.

"We cannot take him" Ianto said like he knew the reason for the looks, "Max has enough to settle into with what has happened, just got a new doggie and a baby on the way. Right?"

"Baby?" Max looks at Ianto with surprise.

"I am gonna have a baby, yes. Apparently you will be a big brother" Ianto smiled, "Why Kenny here needs a family that can care for him without others getting attention too. He needs more one-on-one care. Tosh and Owen are the best for that, just him. He is so small and scared, he needs lots and I fear we might be too frantc for his little mind."

"Oh" Max nodded slowly "OK. Yes. He needs a big bed to snuggle in with them."

"So, you've got it sorted in your head then?" Owen asked as Gwen sat there blinking slowly.

"Yes, I have finally accepted my lot. A Harkness-Jones grows deep in my gut, gonna come out screaming for coffee in a tiny Great Coat I guess" Ianto smiled as Jack snorted.

"Well … congrats" Gwen finally said and Ianto knew why.

"Gwen … when it's your time you will know. This is not it. You and Rhys deserve the best, it will come." Ianto assured her and she nodded to show she was listening.

She rose and left the sofa to go to the bathroom and Jack looked at Ianto in question so Ianto answered "Her and Rhys fight about kids. He wants one, she is scared she is going to be a crap mum and is putting it off, secretly popping those birth control pills when he's not looking. She needs to know she has a nurturing side too, but it's too soon."

Jack nodded his agreement and smiled as he leaned in close to whisper, "And you mister Wham Bam I'm Your Man? Hoodlums?"

"That's another story" Ianto laughed, "Let's just say we all have a past that does not define our future but comes in handy."

"And our future?" Jack prodded.

'So bright I gotta wear shades" Ianto replied happily, "So bright it's blinding."

Jack relaxed as he leaned in and kissed him, revelling in the heady scent of him and hoped it was done with.

Bad things happen in threes … right?

Let's be done with the dramas and get on with being a family.

Well … as much as a Torchwood one can be I guess.

.

.

.

.

So ends this part, short, nasty and frantic but needed. Bad things do happen in threes and we needed the third bad thing over with so the baby can be the sugar on top, right? Also, I know you mat have wanted them to keep Kenny but if he could Ianto would take them all and the baby is going to be enough on top of Max. Besides ... we all love a childish Owen right?


End file.
